Arne Slot hailed Liverpool’s 2-0 Champions League triumph over Real Madrid as a significant breakthrough, ending a 15-year winless streak against the reigning European champions.
The Dutch manager remarked that the Spanish giants had been a “thorn in the side” for Liverpool for years, making the victory even more meaningful.
Second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo secured the win, while Kylian Mbappé and Mohamed Salah both missed penalty opportunities.
The result preserved Liverpool’s perfect start in the Champions League and pushed them two points clear of second-placed Inter Milan.
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Reflecting on Liverpool’s struggles against Madrid, including losses in the 2018 and 2022 Champions League finals, Slot emphasized the importance of finally overcoming the 15-time European champions.
“You know how special it is to face a team that has dominated the Champions League for so long,” Slot said.
“They’ve been a thorn in Liverpool’s side for years. This win is significant, but we know the journey isn’t over.
“It’s always great to win a game, especially against such a high-quality team. But in this unique Champions League format, it’s hard to measure how important individual wins are.
If we meet Madrid again in the knockout stages and beat them, that would be an even bigger statement.”
Despite holding a five-point lead in the top eight—ensuring a round of 16 spot—Slot warned against complacency.
“I didn’t set a specific points target for this stage of the season,” he admitted.
“It’s more about implementing our playing style, which isn’t vastly different from Jürgen [Klopp’s] approach. It’s encouraging to see both starters and substitutes performing as expected.”
Slot also downplayed speculation about Liverpool’s qualification prospects, adding,
“If you had told me before the season that we’d be in this position now, I might not have believed it. But there’s still a long way to go.”
Looking ahead, Liverpool prepare for a pivotal Premier League showdown with Manchester City at Anfield.
Slot provided updates on injuries to Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konaté, saying it was “too soon” to determine their availability.
He also shared a personal touch, revealing that his family had traveled from the Netherlands to support him.
“They’ve taken a few days off school to be here,” he said. “They’ll be at the City game, though of course, it won’t affect the outcome.
Having family around is always a good thing—it helps you focus, but not for 24 hours straight… maybe 18!”
